Improvement in low-watek indicators



GEORGE M. HOPKINS, OF ALBION,- NEW YORK.

Letters Patent No. 82,222, dated September I5, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOW-WATER INDICATORS.

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TO ALL WIIOM IT MAY CONCERN: I

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HOPKINS, of Albion, in the county ofOrleans, and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Low-Water Alarms for Steam-Boilers; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a. full, clear, and exact description ofthe construction and operation of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making'a part of this specification. v

A designates a. shallow vessel, of any convenient form, into which thepip'es B B are screwed or otherwise fastened.

C C are pipes, which are connected with the pipes B B by theswivel-joints D D.

The pipes C C are also connected at E and F by swivel-joints to pipeswhich run directly into the boiler. (A section of vthehoiler isrepresented by G.) E is above the water-line, and Fis below.

II designates a spring, which is placed beneath the lower lpipe, C, andis of sueient strength to counterbalance the weight of the vessel A andthe pipes connected with i I represents a stop-cock; it is operated bythe lever J, to which is connected the springK, This spring issufficiently strong to open the stop-cock I.

The spring-catch L retains the lever J, and keeps t-he stop-cock closed.

M is a rod, which is connected with the lower swivel-joint D, and passesthrough the spring-catch L. This rod has a collar on it at N. i

O represents a stop-cock, similar to I, having a. spring-catch and rod,designated bythe same letters as at I.

The vessel A s held in such a. position, by the pipes connected with it,that its upper surface is level with tho water-line.

It will bc s'een thatnas there is a free connection between the boilerand the vessel A, through the pipes C O and .B B, the water must standon the same level in the vesselA that it does in the boiler G, and whenthe water is at a proper height in the boiler, the vessel A is full, andcompresses the spring H.

When the water is low in the boiler, it passes out of the vesseLA, andallows the spring H to raise it, as the swivcl-jointsE, F, and D D allowit to move freely up and down. When it is raised suciently high, thecollars N N strike the springcatchcs L L, and open the stop-cocks O andI, turning on the water at O, which is to feed the boiler, and steam atI, which passes through the whistle P, and gives the alarm.

The stop-cock O may be connected, so as to open and close with themotion ofthe vessel A, if desired.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- I 1.The vessel A, in combination with the pipes B B and C C, and theswivel-joints D D and E F, operating in the manner substantially asshown and described.

2. The stop-cocks I and O, having the spring-catchesL L, in combinationwith the vessel A, arranged to operate substantially as shown anddescribed.

3. The vessel A, in combination with the whistle I and intermediatedevices for giving alarm, and regulating the supply of water, as aboveset forth.

Signed by me, `this rst day of July, 1868.

GEO. M. HOPKINS. Witnesses:

II. M. HOPKINS, C. M. TovsLnr.

